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So don’t get me wrong, I love the classics–AKA: “Jane Eyre” which I have read about twelve times, “The Great Gatsby” yes, I saw the movie and yes, that will be a separate post entirely, or my personal favorite “Brave New World”. But like everyone else, I have guilty pleasures and mine are sappy, predictable, star-crossed-lovers-style summer romance novels. I don’t know what it is, maybe something in the air that just makes me squeal as I read about the late nights of Auden and Eli or want to die at the horrid situation of Samantha and Jase. But, nonetheless, I find myself addicted.So I just bought some books for the summer a few weeks ago that I find fit the summer-romance category without making me want to puke, and I figured I’d share with you some of my favorites so far.

First up is quite possibly the QUEEN of summer romance novels, the lovely Sarah Dessen! She currently has 11 books, her newest one being “The Moon and More” which I don’t have yet but believe me, this will change very soon. I would recommend basically any of her books (so far I’ve read 5 of them) but since this is a summer-romance-post, I would recommend you read either “Along for the Ride” or “The Truth About Forever”.

“Along for the Ride” is about the summer one girl, Auden, spends with her father and new step-mom and her baby step-sister. She’s totally against going, but she decides to head down for the summer because of, basically, pure boredom but let me tell you, between insomniacs and jealous-ex-girlfriends and a sort of wayward-yet-adorably-happy-go-lucky brother, you will not be bored.

“The Truth About Forever” is a bit more serious, dealing with harsh themes such as the father of the main heroine, Macy, dying suddenly before the start of the novel. Although it is a summer-romance novel featuring a beautiful star-crossed-lovers-dilema, I find the family problems that are discussed just as interesting, giving the novel a sort of second-story than just two teenage kids in love.

But basically anything by Sarah Dessen is a safe choice. I find her books not only a quick read for the beach but captivating and, yes, the love-stories are always good. Except for “Dreamland”, that is one depressing as hell story, so if you’re looking for sappy romances, I say those two are her best yet

And then there’s “The Summer of No Regrets” by Katherine Grace Bond. I’ve never read her before, but this book surprised me. I expected a cute romance of a couple who emerged when the girl just decided to let go and the boy gave her an opportunity for love and adventure. But no. Instead, the themes I noticed most while reading was spirituality, the conflict of opposing religions, loss, and the different effects of depression. No joke. Sure, there’s the cute boy who moved in next door who looks a little bit too much like a movie-hottie who gets this thing for the heroine when she saved him from a cougar (ah, there you are you slightly-predictable-yet-unbearably-addictive-romance storyline!) But seriously, this book is a breath of fresh air while supplying the much-desired summer romance that we all hate to love.

And finally (for now) is “My Life Next Door” by Huntley Fitzpatrick. If you want a summer-romance-to-the-extreme sort of novel, this is just perfect for you. It’s the classic girl-meets-boy-next-door situation but there’s a twist that even the Fictionista in me had screaming at Mr. Fitzpatrick for his evilness. It’s a bit of a longer read than I imagined it would be, but it was still a good book and I would strongly recommend it for a lazy beach day or rainy night.

Well, that’s it for now, once I read some more I’ll post them. I hope you guys enjoy!!

–A Fictionista

~SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT~

How’s summer where you are? Here it’s either unbearably hot or, like today, sweatshirt-and-jean weather! What are some of your favorite summer-romance novels? Do you already have some summer-books lined up? Let me know in the comments below(: